Network Coding for Wireless Networks

Abstract

Network coding refers to a scheme where a node is allowed to generate output data by mixing (i.e., computing certain functions of) its received data. The unique characteristics of wireless medium renders network coding particularly useful. For instance, network coding can be used to achieve the minimum energy-per-bit for multicasting in a wireless ad hoc network. In addition to optimizing energy efficiency, the network coding based scheme has only polynomial time complexity, breaking through the NP-hardness barrier of the conventional routing approach. As another example, recently network coding has been developed into a link layer enhancement scheme. The network coding engine in the link layer can opportunistically mix the outgoing packets to reduce the transmissions in the air. This paper provides an overview of some recent development about using network coding in wireless networks, including (i) network coding for end-to-end multicasting, (ii) network coding in the link layer, and (iii) network coding in the physical layer.